Slack-adjuster.



No. 867,676. PATENTED OCT. a, 1907.

w. H. SAUVAGE.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

APPLICATION mun .IA1L27, 190s. RENEWED JA'H. 11, m7.

- s sums-sum? 1.

@Mouwgjm PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907,

W. H. SAUVAGE.

SLACK ADJUSTER.

APPLICATION nun) JAN. 27, 190 RENEWED JAN. 11', 1907.

ewaq@h "PATENTED OCT. 8, 1907. a

W. H. SAUVAGE. SLACK ADJU TEfi. I APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 27, 1900. RENEWED JAN. 11, 1907.

3 SHIIETS-SHEET 6.

wucMMc QWi-hwoaeo UNITED srarns PATENT OFFICE.

v'wim.1 M HENRY SAUVAGE, OF NEW YORKN. Y ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENT-S, TO

- a' Thss sLAoK ADJUSTER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION O NEW YORK- SLACK-ADJUSTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Oct. 8,1907.

ghpplicationfiled was 27,1906, Serial Nb. 298,191. Renewed January 11,1907. Serial'No. 361,898.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it knownthat I, WI'LLIAM HENRY SAUvAon, a citizen Orr-11 UnitedStates of America, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and'State of New-York, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack-Adjusters'of whichthe following 'is a specification. l

j invention relates to railway brakes and comprises, an improved apparatus for automatically taking: up the slackin -power operated brakes so that the amount of piston travel in .the power cylinder will re- 1 main substantially constant'as the brake shoes wear jdown or'other parts of the brake rigging yield.

- 'Thebest form of apparatus embodying my invention 15 at'pl'fesent known to me'is illustrated in the accompanythree 'shhets-ofdrawing in which: I Figure 1 i s an outline plan view of the bottom of a car to, the position of the brake shoes and connected parts being difier ent from that in the arrangement of Fig. 1. Fig, 2,sho'ws a minor rnodification. Fig. 3 is an enjf 'larged sideview of the automatic take-up apparatus,

with the face plate removed, a section being taken upon a vertical plane through the clutch mechanism. Fig. I4 is a detailsection taken on a horizontal plane on line OfFig. 5 showing the two clutches; Fig. 5 is a detail end viewf of the automatic take-up apparatus; (i is an exaggerated detail of one of .the clutch dogs;

and, the brahe rigging, showing the location of my'automatic take-up apparatus. Fig.2 is a side elevation .of a single truck showing my invention attached there- Fig. -7 illustrates a modification in which pawl and .3 i. 1 is the car body,-

clutches are-substituted for the iriction clutches. Fig. .8 is a detail modification. Throughout the drawings, like reference figures indicate like 'pai'ts/ l I other conveniently. located portion of. the car body to -which my automatic take-up device may be attached.

' 3 is'theholstejr on which one end of the car body is supported byjneans of the truckbolster 4 and center p1ates5.' I

6,f 6,represent two of the truck wheels, and 7, 7,. the

brake shoes cooperating therewith, carried by brake 39.,is, the'l liv'e lever pivoted to one ofthe brake beams,';l0 is the dead, lever pivoted to the'other brakefbeam, the lower endof said levers being conner-now in use in the standard brake rigging Of the preslever is usually adjust-ably pivoted by means of the pin 2 one ofthe draft timbers or" pin 16, carried bysuch lever. 17 is the usual brake lever connected to the other end of,the top'rod 12. 18

is the piston connected to the other end of said lever 17, 19 the power cylinder for compressed air or other fluid by which the brakes are operated,

'20 is themain frame or shell of the automatic takeup mechanism provided with lugs 21,- 21, by which it may be attached to the timber 2, or other convenient portion of the car body. This main frame is provided with any convenient form of cover plate 22, and has a beput out of operation by an accident. When my in: I}

vention is employedthe adjusting .lug l3 serves as a guidefor the dead lever coiiperating with the guide hole23 at each end, which serves as a guide for the takeup rod 24,, which passes through them.- Preferably this take-up rod is a solid cylindrical rod of about an inch in diameter and upwards, one end of which is attached to the upper end of the dead lever by" means of the clevis 25, or other flexible series of tension links. The -take-up rod 24 passes through two friction clutches, which preferably consist of pivoted.perfo-.

rated clutch dogs, such as are used in the well known form or mechanical lifting jacks.

26 is the main glutch dog pivoted at 27 to the-main frame 20. by a pivot pin having a vertical axis. 28 is the opening of circular 'or' slightly elliptical shape, through which the take-up rod 24 passes. 29 is a spring which normally holds said clutch dog in the position shown in 4, so as to cause it to grasfi the take-up rod 24 and prevent the same from being pulled towards the left. j

- 30 is a movable clutch'which maybe made in the formof a easting'cored out to contain the movable gagement gth the take-up rod 24, which passes through .90 .clutch dog 31, pivoted to it at- 32 upon a vertical axis, and a sprin 33 normally holding said clutch dog in enleft far enough to firmly grasp .the take-up rod 24, as

shownin Fig.4, but does not permit said clutch dog freely slid through: the clutch toward the right. 35 is a similar slot. formed in the casting 3O ofthe movable ,l'ipassi gthroughjone of the series of holes 15. when swing-to. the leitfarlenogrgh to gmspthe take-up rod 'clutch', which similarly permits the clutch dog 31- to I 24, as shown in Fig. 4, but does not permit said clutch dog to swing to the right beyond a position at right angles to the take-up rod, in which position the movable clutch may slide freely over the take-up rod 24 toward the left.

36 is a take-up springpreierably made in the shape of a spiral spring, surrounding the take-up rod 24, and

having one end abutting against the end of the main end plate ofthe frame or casing 20, and the other end against the movable clutch 30.

37 is any convenient form of take-up hook, which.

seizes the movable clutch 30 and extends outside of the casing 20, through the slot 35' through which the movable clutch dog 3i alsoprojects.

38 is any convenient form of guide lug for the take-up .hook 37, andv 39 is a guide for the other end of said take-up hook set in the car body bolster 3. The other end of the take-up hook is connected with the upper end of the live lever 9, or to the top rod 12, or other moving portion of the brake system, by some convenient form of lost motion connecting mechanism such as the chain 40, one of the links of which catches over the hook 41 on the end of the take-up hook rod. This chain is preferably made with a number of extralinks,

springs 29 and 33, the same as are the iriction dogs.

Asthere is no possibility of slipping in such ratchet mechanism, it would also be possible to use the constant tension spring 43, shown in Fig. 7, which will always hold the ratchet teeth up against the pawls and prevent any slipping oi the take-up rod toward the right when the apparatus is slack,- with the friction clutch form, however',.I find .that the friction dog 26 bites the rod 24 with sufficient forceunder actionof the spring 29 to hold the rod in any position, unless the same is driven in with considerable force. 25 is a chain of considerable length (see Fig. 8) substituted for t. e clevis attachment 25 and run through a guide M, which guide will take up all the strain due to any angularity of pull upon the take-up rod, which might result from an extreme position of adjustment of the dead lever; rocking of the car, or displacement of the parts when under tension of a heavy brake application. I I I The construction of parts being as above described,

one mode of operation of my invention isa's follows:

The parts being arranged as shown, a full application of the brakes is made by the application of power to the piston 18. If the piston travel so produced does not conform to..the standard to be maintained (say 6 inches), the brakes are released, the clutch dogs moved by hand so as to compress springs 29 and 33, and release take-up rod 24, and said rod is slid by hand to left or right a distance suflicient to permitthe desired piston travel to occur when the power is again applied. After the required adjustment is thus secured, all the tional to the excess travel of the piston.

slack of take-up chain 40 is eliminated by hooking the proper link into liook 41 during a full application of the power, and the apparatus is then ready for automatic action. So long as the brake shoes and other parts remain in a-condition to permit only the standard piston travel or less, no operation of the take-up mechanism will result, The moment such standard piston travel is exceeded, however, (as would result from a wearing down of the brake shoes), a movement of the live lever 9 in excess of the slack provided in take-up chain 40 occurs whenever a heavy application of brakes is next made and the hook 37 and movable clutch 30 are pulled toward the left a distance propor- \\'hon the brakes are next released, the clutch 30 is forced back to its normal position by take-up spring 36 and pulls take-up rod 24 along with it, shifting the fulcrum of dead lever 10 to the left a distaln e suliicicnt to reduce the possible piston travel on thrnext brake application down to t-hestandard amount previously provided for. The take-up rod is held in its new posit ion by main clutch dog 26, and thus a standard maximum piston travel is maintained.

The advantages of my invention comprise among other things, the following: The mounting of the automatic take-up device connected to the dead lever .on the car body insures the accurate working of the slack adjusting devices under all conditions. I am aware that heretofore it has been proposed to employ an automatic take up device including two friction clutches operating upon the general plan above described, but these and all other automatic take-up devices eonnected to the dead lever have heretofore been mounted on the swiveling wheel truck of the car. The result has been to destroy all accuracy'oi take-up action. This has been due to two causes; first, the varying amount of play existing between car body and truck as the center plates and king bolts wear-,and, second, the connecting of the top rod to the live lever carried by the swiveling truck considerable distance to one side of a vertical plane passing through the pivotal point of the truck suspension, and parallel to the top rod, as clearly shown in Figv 1. It is evident that 'with this arrangement the total pull on the top rod,

amounting to from one to six tons in a heavy brake application, tends to draw the trucks toward the middle. of the carbody and to twist them aroundon the king bolts as centers. The varying amount of play so produced by wear of the center plates, and of the wheel flanges, would not be compensated for by the take-up device and would produce irregularity of piston travel.

Furthermore, the swing of the trucks on curves would to astillgreater'degree disturb the accuracy of the slack adjuster action; If the truck' be swung through a considerable angle going around asharp curve and a brake application be made, such position of the truck will materially increase or decrease the piston travel and so cause the automatic slack adjuster to take up too much slacker on the other hand, permit excessive piston travel without .any take-up" action. This might resultin the brakes being taken up so close in a heavy application on a sharp curve that the shoes would still drag on the wheels when released one.

straight track or on a reversed curve. All of these possibilities are avoided by my invention. The take-up device being mounted onthe relative to the power cylinder is fixed and unafiected by anymovementoi the truck. The jointed link system formed by the live "lever, the dead lever and pressure. The clutches being mounted on the spring supported car body are less subject to wearing and loosening of the parts by jarring; The same are most accessible for adjustment. The two clutch dogs are located adjacent one to the other so that both can be I body, and an automatic take-up device mounted on the.

grasped'b'y'the operator with one hand while the other hand adjusts the take-up ,rod thus released. The springs positively holdthe clutches in engagement so thatthere is little possibility of the take up rod being jarred out of adjustment, there is no rattling and wearing of the parts by the jarring of the car; The

clutch dogs being pivoted 'on vertical axes, thewear produced by sliding the take-up rod in and out will not affect the adjustment of the clutch biting surfaces.

The take-up rod being a substantially solid rod passing through the'clutch dogs, not be bent or buckled .by-. their action, 'as is the case where such powerful clutching action is applied to cylindrical parts.'tele scoping one into the other. The-working parts of my invention are all incased so as to protect them from snow and ice, ,and yet theyare ireely accessible by removingthe faceplate or cover 22 and do not fit to-' gether so tightly'as to be prevented from normal op-' eration by any ordinary collection of rust or dirt.

It is evident, of course, that various changescould be made in the details'of construction shown and described without departing from the. spirit and scope of my invention, so long as the principle of operation be preserved. I

Having, therefore, described my invention, 1 claim:

- .1. In 'an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes,

the combination of the, wheel truck and brake system therefor, comprising a live'" lever and a dead lever,

the car body, the brake cylindermounted on said car body, and an automatic take-up'device mounted on the car body and connected to the dead lever on the wheel truck.

2. in an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes,

the combination of the wheel truck and brake system therefor, comprising a live lever and a dead lever, the car body, the brake cylindenmounted on said-car car body and connected to the dead lever on the wheel truck by a flexible series of tension links.

3. In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes, the'combination of the wheeltruck and brake system therefor, comprising a live lever and a deadfLlever, the ,car body, the brake cylinder mounted on'f said car body, and an automatic take-np device monnted j on theca r body and connected to the dead lever, and means operated by excessive movement of the l live lover to actuate said automatic take-up device.

'4. In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes, thecomblnation or the wheel'truck andbrake system therefor, comprising a live, lever and a dead lever,

.said car body, andoperatlvly connected to the live lever of the brake system and an automatic takeup device mounted on the carbody and connected to' the dead lever of the brake system, said take-up device comprising a holding clutch,,an adjusting clutch,- and "a. lost motion connection from the adjusting clutch to the live."

lever. v v

5. In an automatic slackadjuster for' railway brakes, the combination pi the. car body and swiveling wheel car body,'- its position said car body, the brake system carried bythe truck, comprising a live lever and a dead" lever, the live lever and top rod connecting it to the piston 01? the brake cylinder, the connection to the live" lever being at a point to one side of a vertical plane passing through the swlvel bearing of the truck and parallel to the top rod' 'and an automatic take-up device fastened to the car blidy and connected to the dead! lever to form an adjustable fulcrum for said dead lever.

6. In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes,

'the combination with the standard brake rigging of the main frame of the take-up mchanlsm provided with,

guides, a take-up rod sliding insaid guides, .a stationary frlctlon'clut'ch mounted on said frame and operating to prevent motion of the rod in one direction, but permitting motion in the other direction,-a movable-friction clutch graspng said rod to move it in the direction permitted bythe first clutch, a spring normally tending to force said movable clutch in the same direction, connections from said take-up rod to the dead lever of the brake rigging truck for same, the brake cylinder and piston mounted on and a lost motlon connection from the movable clutch f the f live lever.

In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes," the combination with the standard brake rigging of the main frame of the take-up mechanism provided with guides, a take-up rod sliding in said guides, a stationary friction clutch mounted on said frame and operating to prevent motion of the rod in one direction, but permitting motion in the other direction,.a movable friction clutch grasping said rod to move it in the direction permitted by the first clutch, a spring normally tending to force said movable clutch in the same direction, connections from said takeup rodto the dead lever of the brake rigging and an adjustable lost motion connection from the movable clutch to the live lever.

8. In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes,

the combination with the standard brake rigging of the 'main frame of the take-up mechanism provided ,with

guides, a take-up rod slidingln said guides, a stationary friction clutch mounted on said frame and operating to prevent motlonof the rod in one direction, but-permitting motion in the other dlrection, a movable friction clutch 4 grasping said rod to move it in the direction permitted by the first clutch, a spring iiormally tending to force said movable clutch-in the same direction, connectionsfromsaid take-up rod to the dead lever of the brake riggingand a lost motion connection from the 'movable'clutch, to the live lever, together with a spring mounted in the movable clutch for normally holding same in engagement, and a spring mounted in the main frame normally holding the stationary clutch in engagement. 9. ,In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes, the combination with the standard brake rigging of the main frame of the take-up mechanism provided with guides and lugs for attachment to a car body, a take-up rod sliding in said guides, a stationary. ir'lctionjclutch mounted on said frame and operating to prevent motion of the rod in one directlon,'"bu t permitting motlon in the other direction, a movable frictionflclutch grasping said rod to move it .in'the' dlrection permittted by the first clutch, a spring normally tending to force said movable clutch in the same direction, connections from said take up rod to the dead lever of the brake rigging and a lost motion connection from the movable clutch to the live lever. y

l0. In an automatlc'slack adjuster for railway brakes, the combination with the standard brake rigging of the main framefof the take-up mechanism provided with guides ata'ke-u'p rod sliding insaid guides, a stationary friction," clutch mounted on said frame andoperating to prevent motion of the rod in one direction, but permitting motion in the other direction, a movable friction" clutch grasping said rod to move it in the direction permitted by the first clutch, a spring normally tending to force 'said movable clutch in the same direction, connectlo'ns from said takeup rod to the dead lever of the brake rigging. and a rose motion connection from the movable clutch, to the llve lever, each of said -.clutches having tripping means projecting outside of the main frame.

11. In an adtomatic slack adjuster for railway brakes, the combination with the standard brake rigging of the main-frame ot the take-up mechanism provided with guides, at take-up rod sliding in said guides, a stationary friction clutch mounted on said frame and operating to prevent motion of the rod in one direction, but permitting motion -in the other direction, a movableiriction clutch grasping said rod to move it in the direction permitted by the first clutch, a spring normally tending to force said mov able clutch in the same direction, connections from said -take-up rod tothe dead lever of the brake rigging, and

' a f lost motion connection from the movable clutch to vthe live le'ver, eachof said clutches having tripping means projecting outside of the main frame and located adjacent one to the other.

' 12. In-an automatic slack adjuster for railwav brakes, the combination with the standard brake rigging of the main frame of the take-up mechanism provided with guides,

a take-up rod sliding' in said guides, a stationary friction' clutch-mounted on said frame and operating -'to prevent. motion of the rod in one direction, but

permitting motion in the other direction, a movable friction clutch-grasping said rod to move it in the direction permitted by the first clutch, a spring normally tending to force said movable clutch in the same direction, connections from. said take-up rod to the dead "lever .ot the brake rigging and a lost motion" connection from the movable clutchto the live lever, the swinging members of said friction clutches being pivoted on' vertical axes."

13. In an automatic slack adjusting mechanism i'or railway brakes, the combination of the brake rigging, an automatic take-up mechanism mounted on the car body comprising an cndwisc adjustable take-up rod, flexible (:onnecting means extending from such rod to the dcad" lever of the brake rigging and guiding means for such flexible connecting means also mounted on the car body.

14. In an automatic slack adjusting mechanism for railway brakes, the combination of the main frame of the take-up mechanism, a take-up rod sliding therein, clutching' means mounted on said main frame and engaging the take-up rod to prevent motion of it in one direction and a tension spring normally tending to force said rod in the direction in which motion is prevented by the cluitching means.

15. In an automatic slack adjuster for railway brakes, the combination of the car body, the wheel truck, provided with brake rigging, an automatic take-up device mounted on the car body, a flexible connection from the same to the dead lover of the brake rigging, and means for manually adjusting the fulcrum of the dead lever which also serve as guiding means for said 'dcad" lever when the automatic takeup device is in use and manual adjustment is dispensed with.

Signed at New York, N. Y. this 24th day oi? January, 1906.

WILLIAM HENRY SAUVAGE. Witnesses FRANK O'CONNOR, M. G. Cmuvronn. 

